Lister Hospital undergoes expansion

THE sod has been cut for work to begin on the second phase of the expansion programme of the Lister Hospital and Fertility Centre.
The project is estimated to cost about $17.5 million and it is to help increase its capacity to cater for the needs of its increasing clients.
It is to commemorate five years of the hospital’s existence and it will have such facilities as urology, plastic surgery, nuero-surgery, increased fertility services, X-ray, mammogram, endoscopy, intensive care unit, CT scan, MRI, renal dialysis, ENT departments and more beds.
Currently, the hospital provides services in the area of general health, fertility, surgery, pharmacy, X-ray and a 24-hour medical service
Briefing the media about the project, the Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Kwadwo Edem Hiadzi, said the hospital started five years ago with 300 clients but this had increased to about 10,000.
He said it had become necessary to expand the facility because of the growing number of clients and the need to support the government’s efforts at providing quality healthier service to Ghanaians.
He expressed worry about the increasing fertility problems among Ghanaians especially men, because of various infections.
Dr Hiadzi attributed most of the infertility problems to the intake of unprescribed drugs and improperly treated infections, mainly among men which culminated in damage to certain tubes in their body.
He urged Ghanaians to seek proper healthcare from qualified health professionals whenever they had problems with infections, particularly pertaining to their sexual organs and those who take certain herbs.
He debunked claims that men who were promiscuous and alcoholic were those with fertility problems.
According to him, the problem could be traced to pollutants and toxins.
Dr Hiadzi called for support for private health facilities to enable them compliment the central government’s efforts at providing quality and accessible healthcare services.
The Minister of Finance, Dr Kwabena Duffuor who was the special guest of honour said the government recognised that a healthy population meant significant savings on expenditure on health and increased productivity leading to the growth of the economy.
“This is why the policy of the health sector emphasises the creation of wealth through health. The important role the Lister Hospital plays in this regard therefore cannot be overlooked,” he added.